Speaking of Italian and temperamental, I test rode an MV Brutale 910 on two separate occasions. I wanted to love that bike, since the aesthetics are beyond seductive. And the howl above 7500 gets your adrenaline running at double speed.

Problem was the bottom end fueling was abrupt. I understand it could have been mellowed with a PC & a map. But the seating position combined a relaxed upper torso with high pegs making the knees too cramped. The bike also wanted to be hammered hard (and worked fantastic at speed), or hard on the brakes. Cornering was only okay maybe because I just couldn't trust it. Definitely not a commuter or urban bike.

But oh man I wanted to love it. So much I taunted myself a second time.

The second test ride was on a model 2 years later which felt like the transmission was filled with gravel. All I wanted to do was get it back to the dealership before it did something expensive.

Bought a 99 ZRX1100 last fall. Had a poster of Eddie Lawson riding the original back in the day. Wanted to like it so bad. Probably the coolest looking bike I've ever had. About 50 miles was all I could take before my knees screamed for mercy, and the buffeting above 60mph beat me to death. Sold it about 3 months later and bought a concours. Guess I'm gettin old.

Ducati Hypermotard and Monster S4 were disappointing to me for different reasons.

I had long lusted for a Ducati and was all set to buy one of these two 4 years ago. Then I test road them both....

The monster's ergos were just wrong for me. Legs too bent combined with a long reach to the bars. Did not care for how hard I needed to work to get the thing to turn either.

The Hyper bothered me with the ridding position being too far forward, but also how it felt during the first part of a corner. Also the brake pedal was at an odd angle. I suspect given time I could have adapted myself to it but I then road the bike that was perfect for me. So I gave up on the ducks for the time being.

1. less than 6k miles on mine and I've already had to replace the suspension ECU, the rear shock, and rear brake master cylinder.

2. There are other reported issues of the motorcycle breaking in ways that would leave you completely screwed if they broke. ETA for replacement parts from pasta land? ~3 weeks. Replacement parts cost? $$$$$$$$$

3. Even after tinkering with the fueling the engine runs so poorly and unpredictably below 3k RPM that parking lot maneuvers are quite difficult.

4. It's still a short persons motorcycle, anyone with a long ish torso is going to get beat up by wind buffeting. Also, people with size 13 feet are going to have problems with cornering clearance because your feet keep running into the exhaust and passenger foot pegs.

It's like living with a supermodel. Really fun to ride her hard but a pain in the ass all other times. Honestly wish I had bought an RT for touring and a street fighter for kickstand posing and the occasional hooligan/canyon session.

Umm, because you can't legally ride at triple digit speeds anywhere in North America?

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Never stopped me from doing triple digit speed when I want to.
If you're riding a motorcycle, that shouldn't stop you neither... Judging from your avitar; you're risk taker, not to be comformed by society laws.

I have a Super Duke and looked hard at RC8s, talked to a couple guys who traded SD for RC8 and regretted it.
Great going fast, not so great when just riding.

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RC8R is a fantastic sport bike. I had no complaints, but I realized that I would never come close to extracting its full sporting potential, so I traded it when I got my K1600GT. If I go back to a sport bike, I think I'll be looking for another SV650S. Love the V-twin, very forgiving, and can be tweaked into a capable track machine.

Thought I wanted a fun, powerful bike for riding trails and dirtroads around here that was street legal. Looked forever and found a 450x that someone had plated. It a few tweaks done to it, jetted, exhaust, etc. I never had ridden one and rode 5 hours one way to get it. (I never had a dirtbike other than a DS80 from when I was a kid)

Got it home and after about 5 minutes on a dirt road I knew I effed up. I couldn't ride it without bumping the throttle and almost getting threw off backwards, couldn't touch the ground with my feet ever. But I did have a street legal bike that I could jump several feet off the ground with. lol

Bottom line is that it was my fault for basically buying a race thoroughbred to do what an old trail horse should do.

Sold it a few months later after putting maybe 25 miles on it.

Oh, and one time I spent 19k on brand new Harley and took a year for reality to sink in that I didn't like it. :eek1

1. less than 6k miles on mine and I've already had to replace the suspension ECU, the rear shock, and rear brake master cylinder.

2. There are other reported issues of the motorcycle breaking in ways that would leave you completely screwed if they broke. ETA for replacement parts from pasta land? ~3 weeks. Replacement parts cost? $$$$$$$$$

3. Even after tinkering with the fueling the engine runs so poorly and unpredictably below 3k RPM that parking lot maneuvers are quite difficult.

4. It's still a short persons motorcycle, anyone with a long ish torso is going to get beat up by wind buffeting. Also, people with size 13 feet are going to have problems with cornering clearance because your feet keep running into the exhaust and passenger foot pegs.

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This is why I'm hesitant to have another (new) Ducati darken my garage doorway. The MS1200 isn't cheap for starters, and at that pricepoint things like sub 4k fueling should be sorted.

+11 on the 865 Triumphs - no balls
Yamaha Vstar 650 - can't ride 2up, tire pressure is a 20mph factor on the bike, will only do about 85mph 1up, downhill, with a tailwind. IMO every bike should be capable of 110+ for passing/emergency purposes. Oh and its a pig and wont stop for Schitt.

+11 on the 865 Triumphs - no balls
Yamaha Vstar 650 - can't ride 2up, tire pressure is a 20mph factor on the bike, will only do about 85mph 1up, downhill, with a tailwind. IMO every bike should be capable of 110+ for passing/emergency purposes. Oh and its a pig and wont stop for Schitt.

2008 BMW R1200RT - Thought this was my "next bike", great ergos, fit and finish. Rented one for a 3 day weekend and was highly unimpressed. Lacking in power (2 up), I didn't care for the airflow and the seating position locked me into one place. Was very surprised (and started looking at K1200GT's instead).

2001 Honda XR650R - The bike I wanted to love but just never could. To be fair, it wasn't all the bike, too short legs on my part made technical riding harder than it had to be. I loved the motor and suspension but hated the weight and the way it washed the front too often and easily. I spent far too much money on suspension rebuilds, lowering links and other "fixes" to finally realize it was just too tall, too heavy, and I wanted an E button.

2002 Kawasaki Concours - the "old" Connie. Loved the seating position, decent power 2 up, hated the build quality and the lack of 6 speeds. I was always trying to find sixth and ended up selling it because I hated how high it ran at cruising speeds (and my now ex-wife hated riding on it).

2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 LT Classic - As with the Bimmer, showroom sit tests and spec charts made me think this would be perfect for me. I'm a big guy and any ladies I might take along are likely to fall on this side of "normal" so I wanted something big, long, super comfy and powerful. So, I ended up buying the biggest production Vtwin made, and it is super comfy with lots of useable power and a long stable wheelbase. But it's also like riding an oil tanker, you have to start your turns 3 minutes early, it's rediculously heavy, and the saddle bags kinda suck. That said, it's Love/Hate as I still have it and get perverse pleasure when riding it. Plus, it makes me slow down in a way the other bikes do not. It'll probably go when the new KTM 1090ADV is available.

1992 Kawasaki 750 Zephyr - Loved the styling and power but ended up hating the seat (worst.seat.ever!) and wanted another gear most of the time. It eventually got "sat" and fell into dis-use, now waiting for rebirth as a cafe racer (with a seat rebuild included). Still love the styling!

2002 Kawasaki Concours - the "old" Connie. Loved the seating position, decent power 2 up, hated the build quality and the lack of 6 speeds. I was always trying to find sixth and ended up selling it because I hated how high it ran at cruising speeds (and my now ex-wife hated riding on it).

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I didn't like mine either but it had 6 speeds! I couldn't wait to get to 6th to get out of the buzz zone.

WR250R - Pulled out into traffic, twisted the throttle......... and nothing happened. :huh
I have ridden 250's before but the complete lack of acceleration amazed me.
My buddy ended up buying the one I demoed and did some mods to it.
Not too bad in the woods, but still amazingly gutless on any open road.

Super Tenere - Did not feel like a 1200 cc bike, maybe 800cc tops.
Kind of boring, like a bigger, better suspended 650 V-strom but not as smooth.